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Old Spring Road

Old Spring Road named for a spring of water in this vicinity where the public stopped to water horses.

Parking bicycles near the Old Spring on 2nd Street; photo c. 1900

Historically a large spring was on the outside of the west wall of the fort and many people in the fort got their water there; this was approximately 400 feet northwest of the intersection of 2nd Street and Century Drive near the “Indian tree”. From the 1850s to 1900 people on horseback or in wagons coming or going from Slaterville to Five Points liked to stop at this spring on the north side of 2nd to water their horses and get a drink. There were many other springs flowing nearby that also furnished good fresh water to drink.[1]

In about 1998 the water master of the Lynne Ditch counted 5 springs in the area that became the south part of the Fort Bingham subdivision. This area contained many wetlands and was used for pasture during the last half of the twentieth century; residents of 2nd Street enjoyed the beauty of nature flourishing there.

In the 1990s there were still five springs and many wetlands in the present area of Fort Bingham Estates; photo 1999.

In addition to the five springs and wetlands, the north branch of Lower Lynne Ditch ran through the central area of subdivision; photo 1999

An evening walk in the area now called Old Spring Road; photo 1999.

CLEANING THE SPRING

The schoolhouse was always located near a good spring. Pupils took turns cleaning out the spring and sweeping the schoolhouse. When the schoolhouse was located at 2nd and Mill Creek Lane, the pupil who cleaned out the spring had to put his arm in the water and dig out the dirt that had collected in the spring during the day with his hand. He had to bank the dirt around the sides so that the flow would be better, and by doing this after school, by the next day the water would be clear for the pupils to drink.[2]